The 2023 Women’s World Cup is in full swing, and these daily files will give you the latest reporting from around the tournament as well as betting lines, what-to-watch-for information and best reads. Check in with ESPN throughout the tournament as we bring you the latest from Australia and New Zealand.
The lead: Germany make major statement
MELBOURNE, Australia — Germany didn’t present the most convincing of sides heading into this World Cup. There was drama over Bayern Munich players being released for duty, they were far from convincing in defeating Vietnam and then losing to Zambia in their final warmup matches, and there were questions over cohesion and fluidity, and they displayed an alarming vulnerability in transition.
There were injury concerns, too, with Marina Hegering and Lena Oberdorf unavailable for the side’s opening game against Morocco on Monday, and when women’s footballing old guard struggled to impose their will in the opening days of the tournament, there even appeared to be the groundwork of an upset by Morocco being laid.
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And so it came to pass. There was no fairy-tale upset, no triumph against the odds for the first Arab nation to compete at a Women’s World Cup. Instead, a controlling, professional and ruthless 6-0 thrashing was served as a reminder of why the Germans are considered among the favourites.
Multiple goals when the game still resembled something of a contest came from their fierce counter-press, first with Alexandra Popp‘s brace in the first half and Klara Buhl effectively killing the game off when she made it 3-0 just 20 seconds after the break.
Though there were some early warning signs when Morocco was able to break in transition, those dried up as the Atlas Lionesses were feeling dissipated. As the game wore on, the cumulative pressure of Germany asserting their will led to two own goals from Morocco before Lea Schuller put a bow on things. Look out world, the Germans are coming. — Joey Lynch
